It’s amazing what someone can accomplish in three months. Last year, I moved back east because I found that the person I was completely in love with was diagnosed with cancer. Honestly, we hadn’t been together that long, but all I could think about was, “I’m not gonna lose her, I just found her!”
Steph’s cancer was hard hitting. I quit my job, took the two clients I had and went full force into consulting again and moved 2725 miles across the country – all in less than 30 days. I promised everyone I’d be back in Los Angeles (Stephanie in tow) in six months. March was that six month mark, and now we’re comfortably settled into Los Angeles life.
Luckily, she’s managed to kick cancer’s ass and make a full recovery with nothing to worry about. She became my full-time business partner in January and has been a godsend. Going from government to fashion is a complete 360 for her.
But last week, Steph asked me something that brought me to tears, “How did you have give up your life and move for me? Your life here in Los Angeles is hard, but amazing. How could you have put this on hold? I feel like you’ve lost time you can’t get back.”
I immediately responded, “In my mind, I didn’t give up my life whatsoever and I haven’t lost any time that isn’t recoverable. I might have put certain aspects on hold, but I never gave it up.” And the truth of the matter is that sometimes, the direction you’re supposed to go isn’t the direction you thought you would go towards.
East Coast, Obama-Inspired Reflections
Looking back on our time in in Washington, DC, I realized I accomplished many things.
- The first was learning how consumers in the mid-Atlantic area shop. I know what’s important to women who shop in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia; I know the price points that they’ll snatch things up at. I also learned that the data available online about certain demographic areas is wrong. If a store is positioned correctly, you’ll attract a consumer you’d never estimated in a million years would shop in a certain store.
- Secondly, I’d spend hours wandering around Georgetown, Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan (my favorite part of DC for coffee) just watching people. I learned what DC was and was not after the Obama administration’s effect had started to set in. What was that effect? I’ll tell you. Washington, DC is now home to some of the most affluent, up-and-coming couples under the age of 35. DC is a lot more liberal than it used to be. Green initiatives, causes and living are the #1 concern of most consumers in the metro DC area. Organic food restaurants aren’t made by Hollywood celebrities who eat at them, they’re made by Michelle Obama and the wives of powerful officials. Also, there’s a huge vintage and antique community to be found in DC. Case and point, Daily Candy DC awarded the Sweetest Things for 2009 to vintage boutique Treasury.
- DC is the place to pull new talent from, and Masters’ candidates and graduates from Georgetown or American University are worth their weight in gold. FMM’s content editor and social media manager, Stephanie Kwak, still lives and works in DC as she finishes up her Masters. Once she’s finished, she’s accepted a full-time position in LA with us and we’re thrilled. Had I not been in DC, I never would have met her the morning I interviewed her in Georgetown. And now I don’t know what I would be able to do without her.
- The last benefit was being a short train ride from New York. I was able to participate in New York Fashion Week and develop relationships with my East Coast counterparts that are not integral parts of all my business ventures.
The time back east was the best things that could have happened. It helped me grow as person, learn to focus on what was most important and develop a part of my business that I now wouldn’t be able to work without. It was a blessing in disguise.
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